[Update: It’s live] Twitter extends character limit to 280, still no “Edit” button

Millions of Twitter users have always complained about the limited number of characters the social networking platform allows in the input box.

To express whatever you want to say, tweets can only have a maximum of 140 characters, a feature the company says it drew from the 160 character limit of SMS back in the days. With this restriction, it meant that people had to get more creative about the content they wanted to share on the platform, but this is about to change.

Twitter has started testing a larger 280 character limit for tweets, twice the current limit. So far, the company says this feature is limited to a select group of users, but it should (probably) be rolled out to the rest of the user base in the coming days – or weeks for that matter.

Can’t fit your Tweet into 140 characters? 🤔

We’re trying something new with a small group, and increasing the character limit to 280! Excited about the possibilities? Read our blog to find out how it all adds up. 👇https://t.co/C6hjsB9nbL

How significant this change will affect how people use Twitter is still unknown, however, news of the feature has received mixed reactions. While some people can’t wait for the feature to be made available for them, others, including me, would have preferred the company to add an “Edit” button to tweets rather than extend the character limit.

In addition to the 140 character limit, Twitter doesn’t allow users to edit tweets once they have been published. This also means that one has to proofread their tweet before making it public, otherwise, they’ll be forced to delete and correct the error before publishing it again – or simply follow up the tweet with a reply pointing out to the error.

As noted, this 280 character limit is being tested on a small group of Twitter users and based on the feedback, the company may or may not proceed with the wider rollout. So, if you don’t see it on your timeline, don’t fret.

Update: The 280 character limit is now live for everyone across the globe, except for those using the app in Chinese, Japanese or Korean.

Meanwhile, what do you think about this change? Let us know in your comments below.